Ancient Greece Declassified 53 Why Platonism and Stoicism Are Going Viral w/ John Vervaeke
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Aug 21, 2023 
Cognitive scientist John Vervaeke discusses the resurgence of Platonism and Stoicism in modern times. The podcast explores the growing trend of ancient wisdom practices and compares cognitive behavioral therapy with other psychotherapies. The contrasting views of Plato and Stoics on human mind and consciousness are examined, as well as the differences between Neoplatonism and original Platonism. The interconnection of rationality and emotion is emphasized, and the transformative power of the love of beauty is explored.
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Stoic Logos Is Broad Practical Rationality
- 'Logos' for the Stoics is a broad, embodied rationality including attention, desire, and action, not just formal logic.
- Stoic rationality should be represented as therapeutic, aspirational, and integrated with affect and skill.
Non‑Propositional Knowing Matters
- Cognition includes non-propositional knowing (procedural, perspectival, participatory) that Stoicism underplays.
- Neoplatonism emphasizes non-propositional cognition and practices that cultivate such knowing.
CBT Triggers Non‑Linguistic Change
- CBT's language-based methods trigger deeper non-linguistic cognitive changes rather than proving cognition is purely propositional.
- Therapists mix modalities because effective change taps multiple knowing types beyond words.